Do you prefer to listen to music alone or share it with others?

I remember as a kid heading out on a Saturday morning with my buddies to snag the latest records. We would each pick one, head home to fire up the table, listen together and discuss the tracks. Fast forward a few decades and I notice my son and his friends all with headphones and each one of them listening to a different tune. I couldn't get my head around it.

After a few more decades I find myself listening to more music on my own. I don't want any background noise and literally want to hear the nuances of the tunes minus any distractions. It appears I am listening mostly to music that is not too busy and more interested in the way it is recorded etc. It is amazing how well the vocals were recorded on some of the older 50's - 60's recordings.

After I discover something amazing whether it be a new or old tune or just a part of a tune, I want to share it with someone. I guess I answered my own question, its both!

 

I get very disappointed if people are a lot less enthusiastic about it than I am, therefore I prefer to listen to it alone.

 

I used to enjoy listening with friends when I was a kid, but even then, there had to be compromise. There were some bands we all liked, but once I got into punk, that was off the table. As I grew older and moved from rock and r&b to jazz, I found I had even less in common musically with my friends. Now I'm old and married, my wife isn't into music, and my kids are into contemporary pop, I have no choice but to listen by myself. I'm ok with that, I wouldn't enjoy listening in a group where I'm the only one enjoying the music.

 

At one point I played cover tunes and some original tunes with people. At that point I had the shared experience with people of like mind. Good point mdekoning.

 

Good points!

 

Not everyone wants to hear The Good The Bad and The Ugly at paint peel.

 

I don't understand the reference, what is "at paint peel"

 

It all depends. I like listening to music in the car or at home alone. I guess that's because I'm generally alone in both areas. I work at a place I can bring in records. I will bring in stuff for us to listen to. I also host a radio program on the community station. When I'm out scouring for new music (to me), I'm thinking about the program and being able to share that music.

 

Extremely loud......I think.

 

I usually listen to music while I'm..
A) jogging
B) driving
Both being mostly solitary activities for me.

 

Alone.

 

Alone. They'll just ruin it.

 

Ok lol

 

I think I have an idea of what I can play around other people (The Beatles is usually my safe go to) but I'll keep the weirder stuff to myself. The person I listen to music around the most is my girlfriend, and luckily she has an open mind and tends to like most of what I play. I even got her into some weird stuff like Primus and R. Stevie Moore. But in general, I'd say alone.

 

I don't know anyone that shares the same love or enthusiasm about it that I do. I'm talking about music in general, but I'm also talking about specific artists I enjoy. The most extreme example is Beefheart's 'Trout Mask Replica' but it makes the point. I don't know another solitary person that even knows what this is. Anyone I know would look at me like I had three heads if I tried to make them sit down and take it in. This translates into other music I spend a lot of time with (King Crimson, Minutemen, Gentle Giant, Henry Cow, the list goes on...). So it ends up being a personal pursuit for me. My days of trying to find other people with whom to enjoy it are long past me. And I'm not going to stop liking what I like, I've tried that. Perhaps I'm doing it wrong.

 

I think my neighbors are mixed on me sharing.

 

I am lucky to have several friends who would gladly sit down and listen to the complete King Crimson catalogue. Time restraints, family obligations and covid put a crimp in that. Retirement is coming however and hopefully this can be rekindled as well as possibly jamming some tunes!

 

I like to listen to music and share it with others... but a lot of times, others have a tendency to talk over it. That's a mood-killer.

 

This!
I used to have plenty of time alone in the evenings when I'd listen to music, but during lockdown my husband hasn't been out working (performer) so we've been listening together. I realised I'd never really introduced him to my musical tastes and was excited to do so. He loves music, but pop and rock have almost entirely passed him by somehow, and he has quite a blanket negative opinion of it.

I thought perhaps I could demonstrate that its not all rubbish, but I think I've only ended up reinforcing his opinions...!

After several evenings of either no comment being made (the worst!), an ocassional 'what's this music?' or 'perhaps we could listen to something calmer after this?', I've realised our tastes may not align and I'm better off foregoing the disappointment and going back to listening alone once he starts working again!

 

Most people have schit taste in music (or are indifferent to music!), so ... I'm quite content to listen alone in my tower of solitude.

 

Listening to Music has nearly always been a solitary thing for me. A long time ago I'd sometimes listen to records with friends, but even back then I found the music ended up being a backdrop. When people come around I'd rather have no music on, and enjoy some conversation.

 

Alone, otherwise others would be trying to convince me to listen to Paul Weller or Bon Jovi on their turn.

My way or the high way folks!

 

I love sharing my music with my roommates. I frequently share it with my neighbors as well. I use headphones sometimes if I think they don't deserve to hear it.

 

I still enjoy trying to turn friends and family on to various music, where I'm careful about what I bother with there, based on the individual in question's tastes, but it's not as regular of a thing as it was when I was a kid/teen through my early to mid-20s.

It just depends on who I'm with, what my realationship is with them, and how open-minded/adventurous they seem to be about music.

The vast majority of my listening is by my lonesome more or less, often with headphones on.

 

It depends on the music and who the others are.

There is music I want to hear alone. Sometimes that’s because the music is so involving I don’t want the distraction of another person possibly feeling a need to talk at exactly the wrong time. Sometimes that is because I know it’s something that is going to get some kind of negative reaction, and I’d rather just enjoy my music without that.

There is plenty of music that is great to enjoy with others, though. So it just depends.